Country gardener nurturing people, plants – and wildlife

Lemon Crunch Triangles – family Favourite recipes

If you were listening to Radio Leicester this week for the Gardens Hour, you will have heard us munching on Lemon Triangles. It’s a nice quick recipe that everyone seems to love. It keeps for a week in a tin, or can be frozen. But to be honest, it disappears quite fast in our house ( and at the radio station). Lemons come straight from my greenhouse. It’s been a good winter for them, with plenty continuing to grow and ripen. Now is the time to re-pot them or if they are in the maximum size pots, remove the top inch or so of soil and top dress them with fresh compost. Start to increase watering and add feed every time. I’m still battling scale insect. It’s a slow task of removing them with a washing up sponge and warm soapy water. I just turn on the radio and settle down to the task. At least it’s warm in the greenhouse. And the citrus flowers smell divine.

Remove from heat and beat in the flour, rind and eggs using a wooden spoon, until smooth.

Pour into the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Stand for a few minutes and then remove the grease proof paper. Return cake to the tin and cool slightly.Mix juice and sugar together and pour evenly over the cake. When cold, cut the cake into squares, and then halve to make triangles. Perfect for morning coffee, or afternoon tea.

It is. To 5C. I slowly reduce the heat and the watering down over the winter. Luckily it’s a really well insulated cedar greenhouse so doesn’t cost too much to heat. We have solar panels which helps. I use it like an extra room of the house. Somewhere to escape to and a nice place to potter.

I grew citrus (trees) in the early 1990s, and only some of the citrons and some of the limes were not tolerant of the slight chill here. Citrus grow well out in the landscape. Lemons are standard landscape trees.

Karen, thank you so much for giving us another recipe from your family. And made with lemons from your own harvest, what else can you ask for! I feel that the lemon trees have scale insects: they are very cumbersome to remove and you have to have a lot of patience. How nice are the lemon triangles! The recipe seems easy for an inexperienced in the kitchen like me. Your lemons are magnificent. Even though we are in Winter, you would take one and squeeze all your juice and the rest of the water in a large glass, sugar until you notice the bitterness of the lemon and some ice cubes: my favorite drink when I am very thirsty and in summer I do not miss. Karen love, health and strength for your Mother, your family and for you. Take care and rest.Very loving greetings from Margarita. 🙂

Sounds delicious. In Italy it is always said that citrus should be quite restricted in its pot otherwise it doesn’t do well. I have found this to be true not that I’ve had much success with mine and you certainly have.